Thanks everyone. I think the tylenol has kicked in to maybe let me sleep, so to bed I go.

Oh, and Katie Bee -- when I read your post about your evil ex-boss and the Case of the Unfairly Deducted Paycheck, all I could do was laugh and laugh and laugh.

I'm going to attempt to convey our royal amusement at their expense, you betcha.

Hope you'll get some good rest tonight, Steph. It's so tiring to provide support during health issues. I'll be your distant friend in going to the hospital tomorrow. It's pretty much going to be a social call on MIL, who's had a second knee surgery. I will try to bring good cheer and knitting and try mightily to conceal how very much I do not want to be there.

Aww, man, so much badness and fuckedupness in this thread! So sad! General -ma being sent out to all of you! Just because That Evil Day is tomorrow doesn't mean everything should be going to hell!

I am seriously considering calling the HR department to complain about my manager. She consistently told me I carried too much stuff in my purse, despite the fact that I repeatedly explained to her how many medical supplies I require to get me through the day.

I TOTALLY think you should--what are they going to do, FIRE YOU? They need their asses kicked--just because someone needs a job doesn't mean it's OK to walk all over them, and they're totally doing that left and right.

lso, maybe write a formal letter of complainted, with a copy sent to the ADA. (And make sure they know there's a copy sent to the ADA. Sure, you'll never be going back there, but that's all the more reason to make them squirm.

This. What Plei said.

I think I had one of the most unprofessional doctors I've ever seen. She went on and on about how often I see the "shrink" then told me that my cough was all in my head

OMG. Wow. No way you could demand a...second opinion? I say write a letter! A round of letter-writing clue-by-fours all around!

As the child of parents who had nothing in common but myself and my sister, I used to cry myself to sleep at night wishing they'd get divorced and be happy.

I'm with Jars on that one--my parents used to fight something awful, growing up, and there was definitely a time when I almost wished they would get divorced--the only reason I didn't actually was because even at 10 I was a practical bugger, and knew that on my dad's salary, we definitely couldn't afford two places to live, so divorce would probably mean sketchy apartments like my friend's parents each moved into...or that my dad would get custody. (They eventually seemed to work into the "for the kids" scenario, and these days don't seem to get along tooooo badly, oddly....)

Looks like I'm eligible to receive a full 30 days compensation because they withheld that one little 6-hour paycheck.

SWEET! I shall vibe much ma to you, because SOMEONE deserves a little bureaucracy working FOR them around here!

Looks like I'm eligible to receive a full 30 days compensation because they withheld that one little 6-hour paycheck.

See? See? This is why you write letters. Also to get asshats in trouble.

Good to "see" you, -t!

My money is on alien baby in GI tract. Only *one* doctor out of the 4 that saw him today thought that was funny.

Meanwhile, I'm still giggling. But seriously, medical issues are stressful enough even when you *do* have a diagnosis so I hope the docs figure out what's going on asap, Tep.

sj, please to get better NOW, if not sooner. Are we sure the meds you were put on today aren't causing the fever? Not that I'd know if that's even possible but thought I'd ask.

sj much ~ma and some unsolicited advice from a UTI-sister who has learned the trick...for me at least.

After suffering 7 utis in one year, I figured out a non-doc formula that works perfectly. Maybe it would help you too.

I get the pure, non-sugar variety of cranberry juice from the healthfood store and slug at least a cup at a time. It is not for the faint of heart, but it is powerfully helpful in making the u-tract inhospitable to the little infecto-bastards.

Also, I take bee propolis extract...30% solution straight into the back of my throat because the taste is big of the ick. One stopperful every hour or so until the symptoms dissipate.

I haven't been to a doctor for this in more than 5 years.

It's also true that I start this regimen as soon as the all-too familiar symptoms raise their ugly heads. I'm not sure how it will work once the shakes have taken hold. God I hate that panicky, painful feeling.

Whatever you do for it, may it all pass really quickly.

Lot's of health-ma for you dad Steph, and the alien baby joke. Funny.

Gotta go find a red crayon and make valentine cards for my kids now.

Gotta go find a red crayon and make valentine cards for my kids now.

You? Best dad ever (and that's with some stiff competition).